A small group of potential top-pairing NHL defencemen are rumoured to be on the trading block including Dion Phaneuf and Kris Letang, who are both starting massive, costly and long-term contracts, and Washington Capitals d-man, Mike Green, who is not.

Green has just one year left on a contract that will pay him $6.1 million next year.

Here’s Edmonton Journal hockey writer Jim Matheson’s takeon the possibility that Green will be traded: “What are the odds of Washington Capitals defenceman Mike Green, once a Norris Trophy finalist, being traded at the entry draft or early this summer? I’d say 75-25. … The problem with Green is he can’t stay healthy. He’s had concussion and groin issues as teams keyed on him and pounded him routinely. … If he can get a defensively strong partner, he can be an asset, though. I can see the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are badly in need of a puck-mover, taking a shot at him. Maybe Florida, which has salary-cap room, or even the Detroit Red Wings, who do not have any right-handed shooting D-men. The Philadelphia Flyers certainly need an offensive defenceman, too, although would Washington trade with a division rival?”

In the last three years, Green has missed portions of each season with injury, playing 137 games in total and scoring 71 point, a bit more than a point every second game.

When it came to the toughest of defensive assignments, John Carlson and Karl Alzner were the go-to guys in Washington, not Green. They had the tougher zone starts, quality of competition and most of the penalty kill minutes.

The price tag for Green would be far less than it would be for Letang, and less than Phaneuf’s price as well.

Matheson doesn’t list the Edmonton Oilers as a possible trade destination for Green, which makes sense. Of course, Green could help the Oilers, but he’s got more value and is a better fit on other, superior teams. He is the type of player a strong team with a few strong defencemen might pick up in the short run to bolster their chances of making or winning in the playoffs. What the Oilers really need isn’t any more d-men trending down in their careers — as Green clearly is doing. Edmonton has to try to acquire or promote defencemen in the 21 to 26 year old age category who can trend up with the rest of the team.

On the Oilers roster, there’s a number of young defencemen who fit into that category: Justin Schultz, Martin Marincin, Oscar Klefbom, David Musil, Taylor Fedun, Brandon Davidson, Martin Gernat, DillonSimpson.

Of course, like many others NHL teams, Edmonton also could use a true top-pairing d-man who can anchor the defence for years to come. At this point in his career, Green doesn’t project as that kind of player. Phanuef and Letang are closer to fitting that description, though Oilers fans — their heads and hearts still locked on Kevin Lowe’s brilliant acquisition of Chris Pronger in August 2005 — likely won’t be happy unless the team can somehow pull of a miracle and deal for Shea Weber. Hard crowd to please.

Me, I’ll be satisfied if the Oilers can bring in two more d-men with at least a few years of pro experience who are needing only of opportunity, but ready to play a bottom-pairing or even mid-pairing role in the NHL right away. Those d-men are out there, it’s just a matter of identifying them, paying the price — which is sometimes quite small — and giving them the opportunity.

In Justin Schultz and Jeff Petry, the Oilers have two players for their top two d-man pairings already. In Andrew Ference, they have a solid vet for the bottom pairing and the penalty kill. There are three more holes here, with Marincin and Fedun likely the most NHL-ready of the prospects, though it’s not clear if the Oilers are going to keep Fedun. He’s just the type of player, though, another team might grab and be pleased as he fills a hole on their blueline for the next three-to-five years, trending up with his new team.

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